Indian locomotive class WDG-5

WDG-5
Sabarmati based GT50AC - WDG-5 named "BHEEM"
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder BLW and EMD Model EMD GT50AC Build date 2012–2018 Total produced 7
Specifications Gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Axle load 22.3 t (21.9 LT; 24.6 short tons) Loco weight 134 t (132 LT; 148 short tons) Fuel type Diesel fuel Fuel capacity 7500 Litres Prime mover EMD 710G3B-EC Traction motors EMD A 2921-6 AC
Performance figures Tractive effort starting: 560 kN continuous: 405 kN
Career Operators Indian Railways Numbers 50001-50007 Locale India
Data source: Progress Rail website

The Indian locomotive class WDG-5 (EMD GT50AC) is a class of heavy haul Diesel-electric locomotive built by Banaras Locomotive Works, Varanasi in collaboration with Electro-Motive Diesel. At a rated power output of 5,500 horsepower (4,100 kW), it is the second most powerful diesel locomotive class on Indian Railways, just out-powered by the 6,000 horsepower (4,500 kW) WDG-6G. Derived from the EMD SD80MAC, it was meant as a direct upgrade to the WDG-4 aka GT46MAC (an SD70MAC derivative). The locomotive series is named Bheem, after the strong Pandav brother from epic Mahabharata. The loco has the EMD 20N-710G3B-EC (20 cylinder engine) of the EMD SD80MAC and an AC-AC transmission. Since the loco has been developed by installing a v20-710 prime mover and replacing the standard v16 in the WDG4 GT46MAC locomotive, the model was re-designated by adding 4 to the predecessor model, with GT-46 becoming GT-50, owing to the number of cylinders going from 16 to 20, thereby making it the First EMD locomotive in the GT-series to use a v20-710 engine.

The class was stopped only with 7 units due to poor tractive effort - it provided only 560 kilonewtons, which is just 20 kilonewtons more than the WDG-4. Also, the v20-710 powerpack having high fuel consumption, similar to why the original SD80MAC were discontinued and were ultimately scrapped. Compounding the issue was Indian Railways aiming for complete network electrification as part of the Net Zero-Carbon Emission programme, during which it discontinued building EMD 710 locomotives and transitioned to greener diesel locomotives based on General Electric (GE)'s GEvo Evolution Series platform. Examples of such are the 4,500 hp (3.4 MW) WDG-4G (GE ES43ACmi) that uses the 12-cylinder version of the GEvo Prime Mover, and the 6,000 hp (4.5 MW) WDG-6G (GE ES58ACmi) that uses the 16-cylinder version of the same engine.

Locomotive shed

Zone	Name	Shed Code	Quantity
Western Railway	Sabarmati	SBT	7
Total Locomotives Active as of August 2023			7

See also

• EMD SD80MAC
• List of diesel locomotives of India
• Indian locomotive class WDG-4
• Indian Railways
• Rail transport in India